FALL RIVER, Mass. – As Zdeno Chara prepared to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins in September 2022 and officially retire from the National Hockey League following a 24-year career, the future hall-of-famer skimmed the agreement and immediately began to laugh.
After signing the document which allowed him to retire as a Bruin, Chara turned to the crowd assembled.
Continue reading From Ice to Ultras, Chara Finds Success Through Tenacity, TeamworkBen Kimball has been a recognizable presence on the New England road-, trail- and ultrarunning scene for more than a decade as a photographer, capturing memories for runners at events ranging from local 5Ks, cross country races and track meets, to the gnarly trails of the Seven Sisters Trail Race and legendary events like the Vermont 100.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of many races throughout New England, Kimball’s photography workload diminished. Rather than panic, he pivoted and dedicated his time to a project years in the making: he wrote his second trail-running guidebook, “Trail Running Eastern Massachusetts.”
Continue reading Pandemic Provided Perfect Opportunity for Kimball to Craft New Trail-Running GuidebookArmed with a brand new pair of trail shoes and a can of bug spray, I arrived for my first trail race in the Lynn Woods on a hot and humid Wednesday night in 2018.
I had never run trails before. But that night, I pretended I knew what I was doing as I charged up steep, rocky hills and over rolling single track sprinkled with pine needles. At the end of the race, along with the new friends I had made along the way, I crossed the finish line to cheers and flashing cameras.
That night would change the course of my running, and ultimately, my life. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had just begun chasing an ultramarathon dream.
Continue reading The Lynn Woods: Finding my Tribe and Passion for Ultra RunningThroughout his years of endurance adventures, Scot DeDeo has balanced his pursuits of speed and distance with a desire to make those miles benefit more than just himself.
Continue reading DeDeo’s ‘Run to Stop the Hate’ Shows Love, Raises Funds for BAGLY, World Central KitchenFor ultra marathon runners in New England, snowshoe running is an ideal complement to a training routine. Because ultra runners have long training cycles, sometimes it’s difficult to avoid training for races during the winter months. But snowshoe running can seem a little intimidating.
Continue reading Snowshoe Running for Ultra Runners: A Guide to Getting StartedSince emerging on the Massachusetts ultrarunning scene a decade ago, Scott Traer has established himself as a fierce competitor and dominant performer on any surface. Be it technical singletrack that’s New England gnarly, an easy-running rail trail, pavement or track, the 40-year-old doesn’t pass on an opportunity to push his limits and find out what he can achieve. That approach has led him to amass at least 14 ultramarathon victories, set multiple course records, and earn outright wins at the 2015 Vermont 100 and the 2021 Hennepin Hundred.
Continue reading Traer Torches the Track, Takes 3rd at Desert SolsticeNORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The rumble of the approaching freight train brought conversation to a momentary pause. The train, with at least 40 cars in tow, rolled past the Freight Yard Grill, its thunder reverberating off the walls surrounding the restaurant’s outdoor patio.
It was the loudest noise Su Mittra had heard all day.
After the train disappeared into the distance on its way to the nearby Hoosac Tunnel to continue its journey east, one of Mittra’s dinner companions inquired about climbing Mt. Greylock, the nearby 3,489-foot peak.
“I did that today,” Mittra said matter-of-factly. “Ten miles in I went up Greylock. That was fun!” Continue reading Hike Across MA Aims to Give Visibility to Marginalized Trans, Queer, Intersex Communities
BOSTON, Mass. — Kyle Robidoux’s running journey has been all about pursuing the uncomfortable, but he looked fully at ease as he stood in front of the crowd of runners who gathered to watch a screening of a short film about his adventure at the Western States Endurance Run. Continue reading ‘Narrow Vision’ Highlights Robidoux’s Boundary-Pushing Run at Western States
Decked out from head to toe in wind- and waterproof rain gear, including a bright yellow Mountain Hardwear jacket, black pants and thick, warm gloves, Henry Ward looked like he was on an early-spring expedition in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In place of sturdy hiking boots, however, were running sneakers. Rather than mountains, his path was black pavement that glistened from hours of heavy rain.
Ward was somewhere near Chestnut Hill, around mile 22 of the Boston Marathon. It was April 16, 2018, and the Waltham, Mass., native and current resident of Tempe, Ariz., was making his Boston Marathon debut. Heartbreak Hill was behind him; the famous Citgo sign, downtown Boston and the finish line four miles ahead. Continue reading For Waltham Native Ward, Boston Quad is a Celebration of Good Health, Great Friends
Ever since he burst onto the ultrarunning scene in September 2015 as a precocious 18-year-old at the TARC Fall Classic 50-miler, many in New England wondered how long it would take for Patrick Caron to showcase is talent on a larger stage. Continue reading Going Global: Transvulcania Kicks Off Next Chapter of Caron’s Career
MassUltra 